Just watched Wolf of Wall street... (spoilers)

And even though I did like it, can I just mention how it follows nearly the same plot line as Goodfellas? It's about a guy who gets into highly illegal dealings, really enjoys the excesses of his trade, then gets caught and the "good times" end. It seems that even though he still makes solid movies, Scorsese apparently enjoys being really redundant. Like I said, I enjoyed the movie overall, but I couldn't shake the massive feeling of deja vu I got from it.

You would maybe, sort of of, slightly have a case for redundancy if not for the fact that both are based on true stories...oh, and completely different.

Yeah I get that they are both based on true stories (although with some of the fabrications Hollywood passes off for "based on true stories" I wonder how close to reality either of them are). But that doesn't change the fact that there are a ton of common elements between the two films, not the least of which is the main characters' respective story arcs.

If you are talking about character arcs in which there is a rise to "power" only to hit rock bottom, then the list of films that are similar to 'Goodfellas' would be too long to list. Sure Scorsese does a lot of crime-dramas, but there are very few things about 'The Wolf of Wall Street' that would make me think of 'Goodfellas'.

The domestic violence scene alone made me think of Goodfellas. IDK, just thought it was incredibly similar in structure. Like, it was a lot about the random happenings, some crime busting, then the eventual arrest. granted, there are several differences, but I thought that that general way the story was structured was really, really similar.

Its Goodfellas but with a nice spin on it. Also, Henry Hill lived the rest of his life in fear from getting ganked by the mafia. Jordan Belfort got off WAY lighter. Also - Wolf of Wall Street took on the plot in a completely different way - there were no threats of violence. Just white collar crime.

It taught me that drugs are cool... as are the people that do them.

Well it is scorsese and I gotta admit their pacing and structure does have a familiarity to it same with Casino and Raging bull is also a guy who indulges in excess that ultimately makes him fail. that said I still love it.

Apparently your opinion is wrong

I felt it was more Casino-ish than Goodfella-ish. The rise and fall arc is more clearly defined in Casino like in TWOWS.

That's also the plot to countless other movies, Boiler Room, Wall Street, Menace Too Society, City of God... and besides movies about criminal activity it's also part of the whole rise and fall story structure with roots in classic tragedy.

But when one tries to look at movies simplistically then sure can claim anything isn't original or is redundant.. mean almost all movies have plots, characters, climaxes, durrr, so stupid and done before.

Oh and apparently real life can't be redundant

that film pretty much show how morally downhill the US is going.